And gravely approaching the giant of the waters, Gianettino laid his
hand upon his head and solemnly said: "The fish is mine. I purchase it;
you demand twenty ducats! But I shall give you what you ought to have,
and what the creature is worth! I shall pay you six-and-thirty ducats
for him!"
The crowd, which had maintained an anxious and breathless silence during
this negotiation, now broke out with a loud and exulting shout.
"That is a real nobleman!"
"Evviva il ministro della cucina! Il grande Gianettino!"
"That is no parsimonious Spaniard! He is a French cavalier. He will buy
no gudgeons, but will have the right Roman fish."
"Gentlemen," said Gianettino, modestly casting down his eyes, "I do not
understand your praises, and it seems to me I only deal like a man of
honor, as every one of you would do! This honest man taxes his wares too
low; I give him what they are worth! That is all. If I acted otherwise I
should not long remain in the service of the lofty and generous Cardinal
Bernis! Justice and generosity, that is the first command of his
excellency!"
"Evviva the French ambassador!"
"Praise and honor to Cardinal Bernis!"
And while the people were thus shouting, Gianettino from his well-filled
purse paid down the six-and-thirty ducats upon the fisherman's board. He
then commanded his six attendant scullions to bear off the fish.
It was, indeed, a heavy work to place the enormous animal upon their
baskets, but the active Romans cheerfully lent a hand, and when they had
succeeded in the difficult task, and the six youngsters bent under their
heavy load, Signor Gianettino gravely put himself at the head of the
train, and proudly gave the order: "Forward to the kitchen of his
excellency Cardinal Bernis!"
At this moment a man was seen making his way through the crowd;
thrusting right and left with his elbows, he incessantly pushed on, and,
just as Signor Gianettino had fairly got his troop in motion, the man,
who was no other than Don Bempo, succeeded in reaching the fisherman's
table.
"Here, I bring you the twenty ducats," he proudly called out. "They will
no longer say that the Spaniards buy gudgeons. The fish is mine! There
are your twenty ducats!"
And, with a supercilious air, Don Bempo threw the money upon the table.
But just as proudly did the fisherman push back the money. "The fish is
sold!" said he.
"Forward, march!" repeated Signor Gianettino his word of command.
"Forward to the kitchen of his excellency Cardinal Bernis!"
And with solemn dignity the train began to move.
Don Bempo with a cry of rage rushed upon the fish.
"This fish is mine," he wildly cried, "I was the first to offer its
price, I offered twenty ducats, and only went home to get the money!"